Tourist businesses flying flag for the Westcountry deserve our praise

THE excellent news today that 15 of the 45 finalists in Visit England’s Excellence Awards are in the Westcountry is a testament to our region’s biggest and most economically important industry and the great strides it is making to raise standards.

Holidays in the Westcountry have come a very long way since bed and breakfasts kicked their guests out by 10am and didn’t want them back indoors – rain or shine – until teatime.

Dodgy cafés and pubs serving up boil in the bag specials have been replaced by restaurants at all levels that justify Michelin recognition while accommodation, from caravan park to smart hotel, have, almost without exception, upped their game.

The result is that when the accolades are handed out at a glittering awards night in Birmingham on June 8, businesses from the South West are almost certain to be among the winners.

That matters, not just because the owners and staff of the most successful businesses deserve the praise, but also because customers recognise quality and endorsements like these from well-qualified judges translate into bookings.

With some nervousness around foreign breaks continuing, even as the pandemic subsides and Covid restrictions here in the UK largely over, summer 2022 is promising to be a good one in the Westcountry.

Rising inflation, soaring fuel costs and fears about the cost of living will almost certainly thwart some families’ holiday plans. But with the Westcountry offering breaks at all price points there is still likely to be a major influx, particularly as summer gets into gear.

That brings us to another issue occupying the minds of the tourism trade this week – so-called “overtourism” when the numbers wanting to come to a particular part of the world threaten to swamp it – and upset locals who live there all year.

As the WMN reported earlier this week, one accommodation provider, Sawday’s, has already promised to limit the number of visitors it sends to some of the most popular Cornish resorts this summer. There is a theme emerging among responsible tourist businesses and industry leaders that the pile-it-high-sell-it-cheap approach to holidays is counterproductive and devalues the product for the visitor.

It also, importantly, damages the communities that live year-round in holiday areas and do not deserve to have their lives turned upside down every summer because there are simply too many people packing into places that cannot take the pressure.

The WMN has said many times before that tourism is not just desirable here in Devon and Cornwall, it is essential. And that means locals – many of whom benefit, directly and indirectly, from the visitors – should be welcoming and tolerant.

We should be proud that so many want to come here and doubly proud that so many of our tourist businesses are doing so well.

Let’s wish those finalists in the Visit England tourism excellence awards the best of luck in June, and look forward to a great summer for the tourists – and the locals.